5 days of Diwali celebration begins tomorrow, November 4, 2018. The first of these 5 days is celebrated as Dhan Teras. This day is also known as Dhanwantri Trayodashi, the appearance day of lord Dhanwantri who came out of the Ocean with a pot of amrita (nectar) in his hand on this day. Please see below exact dates and times for Dhan Teras and Diwali for India and USA (PST).
You can also find this information on my website here: https://ganesha-hanuman.com/vedic-calendar/
Namaste,
Amit
“Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) gives us the knowledge to know our Karma and Yoga gives us the path to reach eternal joy. If we don’t overcome the Karma of the mind and body, how can we remove the obstacles to the path of the soul? This book bridges this gap between Jyotish and Yoga with very deep understanding of the human body, mind and soul.” ~ Souvik Dutta, AIAC Guru.
It is the first book of its kind that combines Yoga and Jyotish. We are all unique individuals with a unique footprint of Karma in the past lives which gives us our unique body and mind in this lifetime. Our Karma is shown by our astrological chart. This book offers guidance on how to tailor your Yoga Practice with the tools of Yogāsana, Prānāyāma, Mudrā, Maṇtra and Āyurveda based on your Rising Sign in your Horoscope.
Available here for purchase.
Om Shanti,
Amit Garg
Coming up this week is Akshay Tritiya – this is the only day in the whole year when Sun and Moon both are exalted. Exalted means dignified and feeling strong. Sun and Moon are the luminaries. Sun gives us light during the day and Moon gives us light during the night. Sun is the King of the day and Moon is the Queen of the night. Akshay means that which cannot be destroyed or decayed. So, any work done on Akshay Tritiya grows. It is one of the best days to start projects, give donation, start education, take vows, make promises, initiate mantras and start taking herbs. 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Parashuram was born on this day and he became a Chiranjivi – one who never dies and lives forever. Sudama visited Lord Krishna on this day with a handful of rice and their friendship is immortal. Yudhishthir received Akshay patra (bowl that provides food for eternity) from Lord Krishna on this day to feed pandavas.
Akshay Tritiya Timing for 2018:
PDT: starts 3:19 pm April 17 (Tuesday) and ends 1:00 pm April 18 (Wednesday)
India: starts 3:49 am April 18 (Wednesday) and ends 1:30 am April 19 (Thursday)
Within the lunar day of Akshay Tritiya, sthir lagna (fixed rising sign – especially Taurus) is best for initiating things but if you don’t know timing for sthir lagnas for your location, the entire lunar day of Akshay Tritiya is good. Remember, Tithis (lunar days such as Akshay Tritiya) have nothing to do with sunrise or day of the week. Tithis start at exact same moment everywhere on Earth and end at same exact moment everywhere.
New Moon – new beginnings
This month’s New Moon is taking place at 7:00 pm PDT on April 15 ( Sunday) in the sign of Aries. New Moon takes place when Sun and Moon are exactly at the same point in the zodiac. Sun is our father and Moon is our mother. A child is born only when father and mother come together. Union of Sun and Moon every New Moon signifies this birth of a new cycle. This particular monthly cycle will be an Aries cycle. See which house is Aries in your birth chart or horoscope and that house or area of life will have focus and powerful energy throughout the next 29 days or so. For example, if Aries is in your 4th house, then you will have powerful energy at your disposal this month to heal your mother, renovate your house, start projects at your place of residence etc. Within Aries, this New Moon is taking place in the lunar mansion (Nakshatra) of Ashwini. Ashwini symbolizes healing. Deity of Ashwini are Ashwini Kumaras – the celestial healers. They go around and heal the Gods. So a big theme for this next cycle is healing.
Om Shanti,
Amit Garg
https://www.ganesha-hanuman.com/
The demon Taraka was killed by Kartikeya, the son of Lord Siva. His 3 sons Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksha were furious and wanted to take revenge. They worshiped Brahma and asked for a boon of immortality. Brahma said he cannot grant that. They came up with a clever idea. They asked from Brahma for 3 cities which will float in the heavens, the skies and the earth plane respectively. These cities can only be destroyed when all 3 are aligned in straight line and can be destroyed only by a single arrow and that too shot by none other than lord Siva himself. Brahma granted them their wish. So gaining virtual immortality, the 3 demon brothers started creating havoc. Gods pleaded to Siva and Siva agreed to help. Vishwakarma, the celestial architect designed the heavenly chariot. Sun became the right wheel and Moon the left wheel, Vishnu entered the arrow of Siva and Brahma was the charioteer. Siva went on the chariot and at the exact time when 3 cities were aligned when Pushya Nakshatra was rising on the horizon and at the Muhurata of Abhijit, Siva shot the arrow and destroyed the 3 cities.
From that point on, Siva received the name Tripurantaka, the slayer of the 3 cities.
Siva is the divine archer. He is the spirit. Three cities represent the three gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas. All three gunas have to come to a state of equilibrium (in a straight line) before the divine archer (Siva) can shoot the arrow of wisdom (Vishnu) and kill (harmonize) all three cities (gunas) and thus give redemption to the jivatma or embodied soul. The time has to be ripe for such liberation, so the arrow has to be shot at the right moment / Muhurata.
(Image: exoticindiaart.com)
Siva is not just the destroyer. He is Brāhman, He is Purusha, He is Sadāsiva, He is pure consciousness. He drank halāhal (the poison coming out of the churning of the Ocean) to save humanity. Will a destroyer do that? He brought holy river Gangā on earth by carrying her weight in his matted hair. Will a destroyer help nourish the earth?
He is not just the destroyer. He is all five: the Creator, the Preserver, the Destroyer, the Māyā (illusion) and the Grace. The word Siva means the auspicious one. He embraces everyone. He is Pashupati, the lord of all creatures. For Siva, there is no good or bad, there is no right or wrong. He is the friend of demons and ghosts. He wears snakes around his neck and carries a skull as his begging bowl. He smears ashes of the dead on his body and dwells in cremation grounds and icy caves of the mountains. Kubera (the king of yakshas), Ravana (the king of demons) and Shukra (the guru of asuras) are among his greatest devotees. There is nothing inauspicious when we are talking about Siva. And there is nothing else other than Siva. Om Namaha Sivāya.
If you go for a reading to an astrologer, they will talk in terms of Houses and Signs. For most people who have had minimal exposure to astrology, it is not easy to comprehend what the astrologer is talking about. What is a House and what is a Sign and how to look at your chart? Full zodiac is 360 degrees. In Vedic astrology, there are 9 Planets, 12 Houses and 12 Signs. In Equal House system, each house spans 30 degrees along the ecliptic. The picture below shows the North Indian style of representing a horoscope. First House is on the top in the middle and you go counter-clockwise to 2nd house, 3rd house and so on all the way to the 12th house. Houses are imaginary, Signs are real. 12 imaginary Houses overlay on top of the 12 Signs of the zodiac in the background. The Sign of the First House is known as the Ascendant or the Rising sign – it is the Sign or constellation that was rising on the eastern horizon when you were born. The position of Houses remains fixed in every chart i.e. the 1st House will always be on top in the middle, 2nd house next and so on. But the Sign that each of these houses falls in may change from one person to another depending on their time and place of birth. Houses represent different areas of our life. For example 1st House is the house of our self, our physical body and intellect. Whereas Signs are the environment and tools that are available for the 9 Planets to deliver karma.
Saturn and Mars are currently transiting in Anurādhā Nakshatra (lunar mansion). If we look at Sarvatobhadra Chakra (picture below), any planets placed in Anurādhā cast a vedhā (obstruction) on the following 3 Nakshatras: Vishākhā, Ashleshā and Bharani. So if you have important planets (such as Moon, Sun or Lagna) in any of these 3 Nakshatrās, you may be feeling intense pressure. This should ease by mid September. Mars moves out of Anurādhā on August 25 (in the evening pacific time) and Saturn moves out of Anurādhā on Sep 17 (morning pacific time). Until then, Hanumān is the savior.
Jai Bajrang Bali,
Amit
Appearance day of Lord Narasimha : 14th Lunar day of the waxing phase of Vaisakha lunar month is celebrated as the appearance day of Lord Narasimha.
Starts: 9:53 am PDT (California time), Thursday, May 19, 2016
Ends: 12:12 pm PDT (California time), Friday, May 20, 2016
SIGNIFICANCE: Lord Vishnu’s 4th incarnation was in the form of half-lion/half-man, known as Narasimha (Nara means man and Simha means lion). In this particular incarnation, he saved the life of his devotee Prahalād from his father who was a demon king Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyakashipu was dead against his son’s devotion to lord Vishnu. He challenged his son that if his Vishnu is real, he should appear in front of him and save him. Lord Vishnu did. Hiranyakashipu had received a boon that he cannot be killed by a man or an animal, he cannot be killed during day or night time, he cannot be killed inside or outside, he cannot be killed on the earth or in the sky and he cannot be killed by any weapon. So lord Narasimha (who was neither a man nor an animal) killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (neither day nor night time) at the doorway (neither inside, nor outside), on his lap (neither on the earth nor in the skies) by piercing his chest with his nails (without any weapon). Lord Vishnu always answers the prayers of his sincere devotees.
Narasimha Mahā Mantra:
For the next 7 days, Mars is the king. Mars is final dispositor (ruler) of all the planets in the skies for the next 7 days. What this means is that all the other 8 planets are in the signs which are ultimately ruled by Mars. For example: Jupiter is in Leo which is ruled by Sun — Sun is in Aries which is ruled by Mars — And Mars itself is in its own sign Scorpio. Let us take another example: Ketu is in Aquarius which is ruled by Saturn — Saturn is in Scorpio which is ruled by Mars — And Mars again is in its own sign Scorpio.
So if we honor Mars at this time, we will in turn be honoring all the 9 planets. Here are a few things you can do to bring positive energies of Mars:
Jai Radha Madhava https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOeYOMMmWSc
Whether glass is half empty or half full does not matter. We are asking the wrong question. Every single drop of water in the glass has the potential to quench the thirst of entire cosmos. Each drop is as powerful as the Ocean itself. Sudama was Krishna’s best friend. He was poor and did not have very many material belongings. One day Sri Krishna visited him unannounced. Sudama did not have anything nice to offer him. All he had was one grain of rice left. Sri Krishna took that grain, put it in his mouth and through that one grain of rice fed all the beings on Earth, the Gods and the entire creation. It was a grain offered with love by a dear friend and a devotee whose heart was as pure as chandan (sandalwood).
PLANETARY COMBINATIONS: Everyone is suffering. We look around and all of us can feel intense pressure one way or the other. We may see people smiling around us but you go beneath the surface and will find out that they are all dealing with so many issues. Mars is aspecting Saturn (4th aspect, exact degree). Saturn in turn is aspecting Moon (3rd aspect) as well as Mars (10th aspect). Sun is with Rahu (same degree). Rahu is aspecting Moon (5th aspect) and is aspecting Mars (12th aspect). This seems like a lot of intense energy. But there is absolutely no progress on the spiritual path without involvement of these malefic (harsh) planets. They are like strict teachers in school. We could not stand them while we were in school but once we graduate, strict teachers are usually the ones we remember fondly and are most thankful for.
ARE WE THANKFUL? If we can breathe fresh air, If we have eyes to be able to see, If we can walk on this Earth, If we have lips to smile, If we have longing for the Divine in our hearts… Then we have enough. Because all that matters is a single drop of water or a single grain of rice.
DEVI PHASE: This morning with the equinox, we entered the Devi phase which lasts for 6 months. Devi is Prakriti. Devi is hidden. Devi is gentle and sensitive. Devi resides in our Heart. As we go within during this phase belonging to Shakti, we will find precious jewels within which were not visible earlier due to blinding external sources of artificial light.
Here is a wonderful chant called Devi Suktam, a collection of sacred versus recognizing the Shakti within: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-gYCVxw1fg
O Mother, you are the supreme consciousness of the Purusha. Salutations O Devi, the auspiciousness in the auspicious, the prosperity (Lakshmi) of the prosperous. Oh Durga, you enable men to cross the Ocean of the world, You are the life, strength and cause of all.
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु बुद्धि रूपेन संस्थिता |
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु निद्रा रूपेन संस्थिता |
नमस् तस्यै, नमस् तस्यै, नमस् तस्यै, नमो नमः ||Ya devi sarvabhuteshu buddhi – rupena samsthita
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu nidra – rupena samsthita
Namas tasyai, namas tasyai, namas tasyai namo namahOh Divine Mother, who dwells in the form of INTELLIGENCE in all living beings. Oh Divine Mother, who exists in the form of SLEEP in all living beings. Salutations again and again.
Jai Ma!!!
Ganesha-Hanuman 